Winter's Warmth
by Isevale
Summary: Love can come in the most unexpected of ways, and from the most surprising of people. A series of short, fluffy oneshots featuring the cast of Naruto.
1. It was the first snowfall of the year

_A/N This is just a series of fluffy little one shots based off of a series of prompts to get me back into writing again. They'll be about various characters in Naruto, and have various pairinings, but I have a feeling there'll be quite a few Kiba/Hinata, because they're my favourite._

_This first one revolves around Hinata and Kiba, and is the story the title of this series is based off of. The prompt was "It was the first snowfall of the year."_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

As the air grew colder, and the sky darkened with clouds, the Hyuga clan was busy with their regular activities. Hinata was no different. Despite the cold weather, and the apparent possibility of snow, today she would meet Kiba and Shino in their regular place to resume training, and await orders from the Hokage on their next mission. Hinata prepared the tea for her father, and left it for him on the porch before she headed out of the clan house.

Hinata was worried. On the first day of winter in the village of the leaves last year, Kiba had made her a promise, though to this day she didn't know what it meant. She reminisced as she made her way to their training grounds, her mind weighted down by her thoughts.

_'…the first snowfall of next year,' he said, as he stared up at the sky, ' I promise that it'll be a day you'll never forget.'_

At the time, she didn't know what he meant, and when she asked, he only grinned at her like usual, as if he had never said anything strange at all. But she had always remembered his words, and ever since had wondered exactly he was talking about. Her feelings were mixed. Her curiosity drove her to wish that she would see the soft fall of a few shimmering flakes, but her anxiety about his statement made her hope that the day never came.

She waved to Kiba and Shino as she saw them standing and waiting, and she put on a soft smile that didn't betray a hint of her concerns. Kiba grinned cheerfully as he saw her coming towards him. "Hey, Hinata!" called Kiba and Akamaru, who was seated beside Kiba's feet, woofed in greeting. Hinata blushed, and silently wondered if he remembered the promise at all.

Shino announced to them that they would have a break from their missions so they could focus on their training for the day. Hinata was somewhat relieved to hear this. If she could focus her energy on her training, she could take her mind off of Kiba and the sky. She opted for honing her taijutsu, and told Kiba and Shino that she would work by herself for a while. As she attacked the wooden dummy, the boys training their own skills somewhere nearby, she was able to clear her mind and focus, like she thought she would be able to, for a time. Even Akamaru's excited barking and the enthusiastic encouragement from Kiba at whatever exercise they were doing seemed to go in one ear and out the other. After all, it was her ninja way to put all of her effort into becoming a better shinobi.

But it could only last so long. In the heat of her training, she didn't notice that small flakes of ice that drifted from the sky, until one landed on her face. She stopped, and wiped the snowflake from her cheek, her gaze drifting up to the sky with wonder. 'Oh it's…snowing…' she couldn't help but smile a little at the beauty of the first snow.

'Snow, huh.'

She spun as she heard the voice behind her. Kiba stood, hands casually in his pockets and Akamaru standing dutifully beside him.

'Oh. Y-yes. Where's Shino?' she asked, avoiding the subject, but also genuinely curious of his whereabouts.

'It's getting late, he went home for today,' he replied. Hinata had noticed that his eyes had drifted upwards distractedly. Hinata assured herself that it wasn't unlike Kiba to get distracted, there was nothing to worry about. She only wished that her heart would calm itself, as it had been thumping more wildly when Kiba had showed up.

'Well, we should go home too, maybe,' she suggested, turning away.

'Do you…remember?'

Hinata paused. He had said it so quietly that it was almost a whisper. 'K-kiba…?" She turned and looked at him quizzically, but his gaze laid elsewhere. Hinata rarely saw the gentler, contemplative side of Kiba before, even after all the time she had known him. It did nothing to help the nervous flutter in her stomach, or the increasing thump in her chest.

Akamaru woofed, and Kiba was snapped back to reality. His usual confidence returned.

'C'mon!' he said suddenly, and grabbed her hand, dragging her back into town. 'It's too early to turn in now!'

* * *

Hinata was amazed. Kiba had dragged her across the village to a number of her favourite spots. First, they had gone to a restaurant that she loved, and he had treated her to her favourite meal. Then, he had taken her off to a bunch of different places: some familiar to her that she loved and others she had never experienced before, but she still loved anyways. After the eventfulness of the night, Hinata was feeling tired out, but very much at ease. She had forgotten all about her previous worries, though, during their adventure through the village However, Kiba now lead her outside of the village to an area of the surrounding forest that she had never ventured to before, and the flutter of nervousness returned to her.

'Kiba, it's late, maybe we should go back,' she suggested.

'Naw, Hinata, it's just a little farther, trust me!' he said, looking at her with his confident grin. She did trust him, after all, he had been to many places in his training with Akamaru, so she didn't doubt his familiarity with the area.

Without looking back, he took her hand, and darted ahead dragging her along. She looked down at their conjoined fingers and blushed fiercely. She convinced herself he was just ushering her along, making sure she didn't get lost, but still she couldn't make the redness in her face fade, nor distract her mind from the warmth of his hand around hers.

'We're here!' Kiba finally announced, and the flustered Hinata looked up at their surroundings. Hinata's jaw dropped and she looked around in awe. They had reached a clearing in the forest, just before the drop off of a cliff. Above them, the moon lit up the clear sky. Both stars and snow glinted in the light, making the air glint with a soft shimmer. A waterfall far across the drop still flowed despite the cold, into a vast sea that glinted with the beauty of the sky reflecting into it. It was as if she were facing a never ending sky.

'Oh, Kiba…it's beautiful,' she commented, still wondering at the marvelous place.

'Yeah, not many people know about this place,' he said, looking back and grinning. Akamaru woofed, and ran carefree in the clearing. Kiba took a few steps forward and gazed off into the distance, facing away from her. 'You know, my mom was always so rash that when my dad was around…well, he didn't get to do anything very romantic. When he asked…or I guess, was forced into asking my mom to marry him, this was one of the few romantic things he did for her.'

'S-so, your mom told you about this place?' Hinata asked, curious about where he was going with the story_. 'Of course,'_ she thought, _'this would be the perfect place to propose to someone.'_ Her offhanded thought suddenly startled her.

'Yeah. She told me that this place is special,' he looked as if he was reminiscing, but she couldn't tell with his back towards her. 'Special things happen here.'

Hinata's heart thumped.

'Well,' he laughed, and turned and stepped back towards her, 'Don't worry, I'm not gonna propose to you or anything.'

Hinata almost breathed a giant sigh of relief, but still remained nervous.

'But,' Kiba grinned, but it suddenly seemed different from usual. He reached up, making Hinata flinch slightly, and lightly brushed a few snowflakes from her cheek. 'I will say that I love you.'

And on the day of the first snowfall in the Hidden Leaf Village that year, Hinata never forgot…

Hinata was amazed. Kiba had dragged her across the village to a number of her favourite spots. First, they had gone to a restaurant that she loved, and he had treated her to her favourite meal. Then, he had taken her off to a bunch of different places: some familiar to her that she loved and others she had never experienced before, but she still loved anyways. After the eventfulness of the night, Hinata was feeling tired out, but very much at ease. She had forgotten all about her previous worries, though, during their adventure through the village However, Kiba now lead her outside of the village to an area of the surrounding forest that she had never ventured to before, and the flutter of nervousness returned to her.

'Kiba, it's late, maybe we should go back,' she suggested.

'Naw, Hinata, it's just a little farther, trust me!' he said, looking at her with his confident grin. She did trust him, after all, he had been to many places in his training with Akamaru, so she didn't doubt his familiarity with the area.

Without looking back, he took her hand, and darted ahead dragging her along. She looked down at their conjoined fingers and blushed fiercely. She convinced herself he was just ushering her along, making sure she didn't get lost, but still she couldn't make the redness in her face fade, nor distract her mind from the warmth of his hand around hers.

'We're here!' Kiba finally announced, and the flustered Hinata looked up at their surroundings. Hinata's jaw dropped and she looked around in awe. They had reached a clearing in the forest, just before the drop off of a cliff. Above them, the moon lit up the clear sky. Both stars and snow glinted in the light, making the air shimmer with a soft light. A waterfall far across the drop still flowed despite the cold, into a vast sea that glinted with a the beauty of the sky reflecting into it. It was as if she were facing a never ending sky.

'Oh, Kiba…it's beautiful,' she commented, still wondering at the marvelous place.

'Yeah, not many people know about this place,' he said, looking back and grinning. Akamaru woofed, and ran about carefree in the clearing. Kiba took a few steps forward and gazed off into the distance, facing away from her. 'You know, my mom was always so rash that when my dad was around…well, he didn't get to do anything very romantic. When he asked…or I guess, was forced into asking my mom to marry him, this was one of the few romantic things he did for her.'

'S-so, your mom told you about this place?' Hinata asked, curious about where he was going with the story_. 'Of course,'_ she thought, _'this would be the perfect place to propose to someone.'_ Her offhanded thought suddenly startled her.

'Yeah. She told me that this place is special,' he looked as if he was reminiscing, but she couldn't tell with his back towards her. 'Special things happen here.'

Hinata's heart thumped.

'Well,' he laughed, and turned and stepped back towards her, 'Don't worry, I'm not gonna propose to you or anything.' He chuckled.

Hinata almost breathed a giant sigh of relief, but still remained nervous.

'But,' Kiba grinned, but it suddenly seemed different from usual. He reached up, making Hinata flinch slightly, and lightly brushed a few snowflakes from her cheek. 'I will say that I love you.'

And on the day of the first snowfall in the Hidden Leaf Village that year, Hinata never forgot…


	2. I told him not to come back

_A/N This one is a little one about Temari and her feelings about Shikamaru. The prompt was 'I told him not to come back!'. Well, you can't actually see where the prompt comes into play, but that's what it is based off of at least._

* * *

'Of all the lazy, arrogant jerks!' Temari exclaimed, pacing in her brother's home. Kankuro sat comfortably on a chair, only shaking his head at his sibling's tantrum. He was used to Temari's temper by now, and was even amused at some of her rants. This one in particular he was finding quite entertaining.

'I mean, come on. Out of the whole leaf village, we get stuck on a mission with that ass! He doesn't even take his job seriously. How did he even get past genin, I wonder!'

The man in question was Shikamaru Nara, who Temari had had numerous encounters with since the chunin exams. Kankuro knew that Temari didn't really think as lowly of Shikamaru as she expressed in ravings like this one.

'So, we're just supposed to sit around while the enemy gets away. That's our orders! That's his solution? Some ninja! Some man!' Temari huffed irritably. 'Sometimes I wonder why we even bother with Leaf Village weirdoes. This is a Sand Village matter, we should just deal with it ourselves.'

Kankuro laughed as he lounged around. 'Oh? Did you forget that the enemy in question has also committed the same crimes in the leaf village too?'

'No, but…' She fumed, 'That's beside the point! Anyways, it's bad enough that we have to work with the guy, but we have to take orders from him too!'

This time, Kankuro didn't want to point out that Shikamaru had been head of the operation concerning the culprit in the leaf village, and had a considerable amount more experience and knowledge about him then Suna did at that point. Even in that case, he himself was not keen on taking orders from the man either. However, he knew Temari had something else that was bothering her.

'Are you sure this isn't just because he kind of saved your ass when you got caught up in that jutsu…?' Kankuro teased. Temari made a sound that was equal to a roaring bear. Kankuro knew that he shouldn't go on, but teasing his sister about matters dealing with Shikamaru was too much fun for him to resist. 'And on top of that, because he told you, oh what was it…that you shouldn't worry your pretty little head about things you can't handle?'

Kankuro had hit a nerve. 'He thinks he's so much goddamn smarter than me! Please, like I haven't come to his rescue so many times before!' she screamed, infuriated. Kankuro laughed, and she sent him a scalding glare. Temari was a calculating woman, and there weren't many who could outsmart her. In the case of Shikamaru, it wasn't just that he was forcing her to stay put in the village, but it was that he was of equal, if not greater, intelligence then her, and he had a condescending way of showing it. Perhaps what frustrated her even more was that she couldn't get him out of her head.

'Oh yeah, you're totally smarter,' Kankuro stated.

'Right!'

'And you're twice the ninja he is.'

'Of course!'

'And instead of being leader of this operation, you should be…'

'Yes!'

'So you can order him to go make out with you while we do the real work.'

'Exactly!'

Kankuro couldn't control his laughter.

'Wait...what?'

'Smart enough to fall for the oldest trick in the book,' Kankuro commented between fits of laughter.

'Kankuro you're just as bad as he is, you…' Temari made another frustrated roar, and stormed out of the house. She heard her brother's laughter following her as she left, and even more frustrating, she found, was the blush the had risen to her cheeks at the insinuation. She muttered to herself as she stomped away, not sure exactly where she was headed. She decided that any place would do so long as it was quiet enough to let her relax and think of something other than that lazy ass leaf ninja. Though, she should have been able to tell that she would be in no such luck by the way her day had already been going.

As she slowed her pace to a calmer walk, and let her anger subside into just a slight irritation. As much as she hated to admit it, Kankuro could tell her feelings even when she would not admit them herself. There certainly was something about Shikamaru that stuck with her, and though she had considered that she might have romantic feelings for him, she always suppressed thoughts as irrational and annoying as that. But time and time again, when she saw the lazy, cloud watching leaf ninja that she had convinced herself she couldn't stand, what she really couldn't stand was to be reminded of how attracted to him she was.

Temari let out a long, frustrated sigh.

'Chouji, sometimes I think you're a lot smarter than me.' Temari stopped in her tracks when she heard the familiar voice of the very person she was avoiding.

'I know. Want some chips? They'll make you feel better.'

Just past the building she walked by, Shikamaru and his fellow leaf ninja who had come on the mission with him, Chouji sat on a bench, lounging lazily, like Kankuro had been, in their spare time. Shikarmaru was laid back, staring up at the clouds with his usual uncaring demeanor, and Chouji sat munching happily nearby.

Temari ducked behind the corner of the building she had just past and quelled her desire to approach the two and rave at the raven haired man that had ruined her whole day. Still, the more she thought of speaking to him, the more it brought Kankuro's previous comment to her mind, and the blush back to her cheeks. She chose instead to eavesdrop, hoping their guard was down enough that they hadn't noticed her presence.

'No thanks. I just wish this whole mission would be over,' Shikamaru commented.

'No you don't, Shikamaru. You love coming here, just admit it,' Chouji countered.

'Still, this whole thing…girls…are just a huge pain. Especially her.'

_Her?_ Temari was shocked. She didn't think that Shikamaru had interest in anything besides the clouds. Her mind raced with the possibility of who this woman could be, and only one came to mind. She couldn't stop the smile that graced her lips.

Chouji chuckled. 'Guess you can't help but love her anyways. Temari kinda suits you perfectly.'

Shikamaru sighed. 'What a bother…'

* * *

_A/N I wonder if I make them a little ooc sometimes. Heh...oh well._


End file.
